


Dinner for Five?

by Anaya_of_Wolves



Category: Kingsman (Movies), True Grit (2010)
Genre: Conversations, Crossover, Cussing, Dinner conversations, Gen, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 12:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16873032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaya_of_Wolves/pseuds/Anaya_of_Wolves
Summary: A dinner among friends and allies is good for morale.  However, Kingsman slowly are learning that Statesman have they own secrets, at least Champ' and Tequila do.  They know other people who fight for what is right, and especially Champ' does.  Since she shows up to crash their dinner, but not that she gives a damn.





	Dinner for Five?

**Author's Note:**

> This too WAY too long to get written up and finished. I had one draft, that turned into another, and finally this one was written and completed. Too many drafts really. But here it is! This is one of the crossover ideas I've had dealing with Kingsman 2. A few more westerns might be added in sequels to this, depending on the time I have and motivation as well.
> 
> Also, this has characters and their characterizations from the True Grit (2010) film, instead of the older one. Added a few things here and there (like fudging the ages), but mostly that version.
> 
> Also, totally given Teq's a pun name, because I could and wanted to. Bonus points to anyone who can figure it out.

Eggsy was well taught in the art of dinners and how to blend in well at an upscale restaurant like the one he was in now.  With the dim lights seated in the middle of white clothed tables and the silverware that shined brilliantly in said light, this wasn’t anywhere close to where he would have eaten at before joining Kingsman.  Not at all.  But thankfully he could easily blend in here without needing to seclude himself into the dimmer parts of the booths and walls.  Fine dining was one of the lessons that Harry had taught him privately at his house.  Of course, after a few drinks, but he still remembered well.  He was polite and able to hold the small talk at the table that was between the others there, though Champagne and Harry seemed to do most of their talking together.  It left him and Tequila, to themselves even at the same table.

 

"So, Trey," Eggsy began with a slight smirk on his lips in using the name he was privy to and loved using.  Mostly because it hadn't been Tequila who told him.  No, Eggsy found out when Champagne was tearing into him after a mission had went south.  The name was thrown out at the Statesman bar table, along with a few colorful words as well.  Eggsy hadn’t seen a group of holographic people look so uncomfortable that much before.

 

He almost felt a little bad, almost.  If that same mission hadn’t been the one that earned Eggsy a shot through his shoulder.

 

"Don't get used to it, Eggsy.  You're not stateside for very long, at least I'll keep my dignity then afterwards.  Mostly."

 

Eggsy chuckled at that, doubting it and knowing that they both did.  Cider had been eager to bark up reminders, before they had been told to shut up by Champagne as well.  Eggsy continued to eat, keeping eyes and ears out while doing so.  Not formally on any mission, aside from being present and guarding the new Arthur of Kingsman and assisting in guarding the head of Statesman.  He was fine with that, since it was more time with Harry to make up with lost time.  Also, the two Statesman weren't a bore to be around either.  Maybe it was because they were Americans, or just their personalities in general.  But it was nice and friendly.

 

"Didn't know you ate in fancy places like this, cowboy,” Eggsy took a sip of his wine while still wearing a teasing smile on his lips, “I thought you like the ranch life more."

 

Tequila rolled his eyes a bit, huffing into his beer before taking a sip as though he was still a teenager and taught no better.  It felt nice being around someone else closer to his age, besides Roxy.  But she was on a mission, sadly.  But both younger agents could see the amusement in the two senior ones present in hearing their conversation.  Of course, that didn’t mean they were going to stop acting like this even when caught.

 

"Have to make sure the boy knows how to act civilized.  He may have been an ex rodeo clown, but sure as hell should know his manors.  Thankfully I hadn’t been the one to teach him them, because I heard enough to know the boy was a pain in the ass." 

 

Champ' was digging into the last third of his steak as he spoke, managing to do so while not needing to look where to cut.  His eyes were sparkling with both amusement and the beers he had drank at this point.  For a man who was still posh by Eggsy standards -and that of just how much money he could tell Champ’ sent just on dress wear alone-, he was a good man too.  Nothing like the arseholes he had known before, especially not like the previous Arthur who tried to off him.  The man’s natural atmosphere felt like he was more at home than ever been out of country.

 

Of course, that led to something slipping through his spy training then.  He hated to be reminded just how young and how much he had to learn about surroundings and people.  She had gotten too close to the table before he could intervene, or someone at the table could.

 

“Well, I’ll be damned, you old cock.  You look still look old as hell, but alive at least.”

 

Eggsy glanced over when he heard the voice, already feeling for the knife he had his jacket sleeve and ready to put himself between this stranger and Harry seated opposite to him.  Who was this woman?  Was she a threat?  He couldn’t see any weapons on her at a first glance, though the long, dark blue trench coat could easily hide more under it than just a quick once over.

 

His eyes never left her as she moved closer to the table, though confusing him as he did.  The woman pulled a chair from another table with her right hand and stuck it between Tequila and Champ’, both looking sour that she had done so.  Trey shifted closer to Eggsy, though giving the other a look that apologized for the woman’s actions.  Once seated, that’s when she continued her Southern-drawled ‘compliments’ to the head of Statesman as if she didn’t know just how powerful he was.

 

“Thought you’d at least tell me if you were inviting guests.”

 

She gave Champ’ a withering look that highlighted the wrinkles on her forehead before flagging down a waiter with flick of her right hand.  Once she had a beer in her hand a few minutes later and took a large sip, she appeared a little more at ease at the table.  The woman even leaned slightly back in the chair.

 

“You know, since that’s what manners are for.  But guess you forgotten them.  Or I’d hope so for your sake and your guests too.”

 

At that, Eggsy found dark brown eyes staring right through him.  After facing Valentine and Gazelle and even the madwoman Poppy, this woman truly intimidated him just by the fact he could see that she was a different kind of threat.  One that didn’t need fancy words or plans to get anything she need.  She could just by will alone.  That was the way Harry looked when he was getting something done without hesitation.

 

While Eggsy felt his tongue left numb in his mouth, Harry picked up the curtesy of greeting after giving Eggsy a quick, questioning glance.

 

“Hello, ma’am.  Harry Hart.”  He reached out then with his hand, shaking the only hand available now that Eggsy took a keen notice and got his senses back.  Her left sleeve was clearly empty up until her elbow.  Not that he was staring, even when Harry shot him a sharp look to introduce himself.

 

“Eggsy, ma’am.”

 

“‘Eggsy’?  My, thought kids these days couldn’t have the oddest of names,” the woman chuckled, taking another swig of her beer before smacking her lips, “Mattie Ross for ya, Mr. Eggsy, Mr. Hart.  Pleasure meeting the both of you.”

 

“It’s a pleasure as well, Miss Ross.  Though, I am particularly curious to know how you know the head of our stately table here now.”

 

The double meaning in the words wasn’t lost on Eggsy, nor did it seem to be lost on the woman.  There was another twinkle in her eye, before they moved over to Champ’ as though the funniest joke had been told.  Following her gaze, Eggsy could see how Champ’ didn’t see it that way.  Tequila was obviously holding back from grinning too much and trying to seem as though he wasn’t about to laugh right now.  All of this further confused Eggsy on what was going on.

 

“Now wait just one moment-”

 

But Mattie was already cutting off Champ’ before he got too far into what he was saying, “Now hush you old cock, let me speak for myself.  I ain’t a kid no more, and you need to stop be so damn secretive.”  She then took a large swig of her beer before putting it back down on the table with probably more force than necessary and frowning deeply.  “Makes people not like you more when you aren’t friendly with details.”

 

“Not everyone has the privilege of being so straightforward and honest, Ross,” grunted Champ’ before finishing off his last bite of steak, “Last I remember, I didn’t have to tell anyone shit if I didn’t want to.”

 

The woman Ross snorted loudly and without any manners, which made Eggsy rethink his thoughts about her if she was so brazenly crude in a nice restaurant like they were in now.  Oh, he still regarded her as someone to be still wary of, but the way she interacted with Champ’ and briefly with Tequila made him slowly learn more about her than first glances.  She couldn’t have been younger than thirty and guts of steel to go round for round with Champ’ in the battle of words.  Not even Whiskey spoke that way to Champ’, no one in the Statesman did.  Champ’ was the “head honcho” in Tequila’s words.  So, for this woman to speak that way, she had to either not be a part of Statesman and therefore not subjective to Champ’s authority.  Or, she was a good friend of Champ’.

 

“Now, ain’t that the understatement of the year.  Next Mr. Trey Agave here will be saying that he can’t actually hold his tequila for shit.  Ain’t that right, son?”

 

Trey ducked his head a bit before grinning back at the woman who lips were spread wide to fill the laugh lines around them fully.  “Yes ma’am.  ‘Though I don’t need the reminders.”  He almost seemed ten years younger now around this woman, which again was carefully stored as information about her.

 

Champagne's lips, Eggsy now noted, were slightly curled in distaste, like he had sucked on a lemon, at her flippant attitude towards him and Tequila.  But they flattened out easily into a soft, yet resigned smile.  He even chuckled once and nodded his head as if agreeing with her.  Champ’ rarely agreed with anyone at the meetings, no matter how friendly of an attitude.  This definitely was an interesting development going on.  One Eggsy was eager to find out more about.

 

He quickly glanced to Harry, who looked back at him with his one good eye, and saw that he wasn’t the only one curious about this and amused.  At least that relaxed him a bit more in knowing he had good back-up, just in case.  A Kingsman never underestimated a situation.

 

“Seems like the world has been treating you good, Rooster.  You ain’t dead yet,” Mattie spoke softly, softer than the biting words of teases before, soon giving her order to the nearest waiter she managed to catch as they passed the table.  “Didn’t think you’d ever wine and dine with such fancy people as…”

 

“Tailors, ma’am.  Kingsman is quite known for our suits, you see.”

 

Mattie gave Harry a look, one that spoke volumes of just how much she knew, before nodding her head once, “Right, “tailors.”  Didn’t seem like the folks you’d need to talk with at dinner.  What all do you need to talk about, tie colors?”

 

Champ’ wiped his mouth with his napkin, huffing before his fingers looked to take out a cigarette before aborting the motion.  He looked less and less please by where the conversation was going, though he wasn’t the only one.  Eggsy could feel his paranoia and sense pick up just how well she picked apart words.  Champ’ may trust her, and the Kingsman agents may trust him.  But that didn’t mean they could trust her without further research.  This had been a No Glasses On dinner tonight.

 

"Keep your damn voice down, Ross.  Worse than LaBeouf on a bad day with that gabbing of yours, dammit.”

 

“It’s not like you don’t own this place and the other copies like it, so don’t tell me to hush in your own little saloon.  I doubt anyone here would repeat anything I say unless you told them too.”

 

That impressed Eggsy again, because he had noted how a few agents of the Statesman were here eating as well.  This definitely had to be Statesman owned and kept, or at least well-guarded.  For her to blatantly to call it out though proved more to the former than the latter if she was corrected.  His eyes scanned over the groups of strangers, noting how some were looking over before going back to their own private conversations.  Definitely was being overheard but not by the wrong kind of people.

 

"Still, it's the damn principle of the matter," Champ' muttered, his voice roughening up more with every word and cuss added in.  It was a change that Eggsy was fast learning about, seeing how easily a person could drop and adopt such attitudes and manners.  Champ’ started sounded more like a grizzled old agent than the head of a very wealthy business.

 

“I know, I know.  I ain’t at the bar, therefore I have no right to your group’s doings.  Not that it hasn’t been that you needed MY help rather.”

 

“Your help?” Eggsy finally found his tongue, which earned him a surprise look from Mattie, who thought the same as well.  “Are you a part of a different section?  I am curious to know about who can talk back so easily to Champ’. Honestly, I thought Whiskey was the only one who dared to do that.”

 

Mattie barked out a laugh.  “You have the best company, Roost’.  But you’re right, son.  Well, about how I ain’t a part of the bar or ever was, not the Whiskey part.  Whiskey couldn’t say a word against Champ’ even if he was asleep.  Man respects his job too much to do that.  But back to the previous matter, no, I ain’t.  Never saw myself fit for it.  Wasn't how I earned the lost of my arm, though that was to a snake that Rooster here saved my life from, nor my sense of right and wrong.  The main reason was that I don't see much of the hiding in plain sight." 

 

Her meal soon came after she spoke, and Mattie thanked the waiter before she used the end of her left arm to stabilize the fork she drove into the steak and began cutting with her other hand.  She did so without much problem, while also continuing to talk about herself.  Eggsy was focused on it, actually curious to hear more about her and her frank ways and reasons.  She didn’t speak to say empty words or lie, just the truth.  Even if she was well-practiced in lying, he couldn’t spot any tells that he had learned.

 

"Back in the old days, it was just a man and his horse that brought justice and righteous when it was needed.  Not anything more than that, besides a good sense of right and wrong.  That’s what I believe in."

 

Black and white, Eggsy mentally noted how she viewed the world.  It wasn’t the best of ways, he believed, but at least it seemed as though she wasn’t the fanatical side of beliefs.  Valentine had really believed in helping the world, and he still had ended up wanting to kill so many people.  Poppy had tried that as well.  People with good intentions, paving the way to hell.  But Mrs. Mattie here, Eggsy thought, seemed to no better.  That didn’t mean he fully trusted her on such dynamic views as that.

 

"You've been speaking too much with the Cullen woman," Champ' muttered, raising his empty beer glass as though he was actually at a bar rather than a restaurant that had four stars to its name.  But Eggsy didn’t focus on the way Champ’ ordered beer.  He was focused on the other name dropped this evening.  LaBeouf and Cullen, more mysteries of the ever-growing web that the Kingsman was being brought into by way of Statesman.  Where they all as American as this group?

 

Mattie frowned harshly after being told off.  "Emma and Chisolm are a better talk than you, that's why!" 

 

She then dug into her food with more force than was needed, done speaking apparently.  Her knife scraped against the porcelain plate, making the worse noise to hear.  Eggsy winced when he heard the noise, but he still took all the new information in.  It then hit him just what this reminded him up.  It was such a sight to see two people who didn't look anything alike and yet act so related.  He could see the care but also the snaps traded back and forth.  Really put a more humanized side to the Statesman, rather than just allies and business partners.  It was like him and Roxy, Merlin and Harry, people that felt like family through work.

 

"How are they, ma'am?" Tequila sounded bemused as though he had just sat through a parental debate and was well used to it by now.  He also seemed guarded on names now, which got Eggsy looking at him with a curious look.  Trey gave him an apologetic look and a slight shrug before glancing back to Mattie and Champ’.

 

"They're fine," came Mattie quick response, "Maybe they should join us for dinner one night with our new, 'friends.’  You would like their company, more friendly than Champ’ here."  There was a grin shot to Champ', one with more bite than just a friendly grin.  It was challenging and daring him.

 

"I'll be the one to decide that." 

 

Mattie grinned even more; this grin was definitely one in triumph that Eggsy saw.  But he couldn’t help to be curious to meet these people, if they were as colorful as the Statesman here were.  He also quickly found out that he wasn’t the only one that was curious about this Emma Cullen woman and Chisolm that had been talked about.  Maybe even LaBeouf too.

 

“Well, I for one, wouldn’t mind to meet potential ‘friends’ of yours.  The more the merrier.”

 

“Ha!  At least someone here as some good sense.  But yeah, they are good folk who do good these for those that need it.  I think you really would like them.”

 

She gave Harry a wink and a smirk before asking Champ’ about something concerning a horse and a U.S. marshal.  Eggsy was lost again in that conversation, but he still kept a pleasant smile on his face even when he caught the glance from Harry.  The older man seemed a little more at ease, even though they both were wary of new people.  The years hadn’t been favorable for either, but maybe now was a good time to make more friends with a good head and wanting to help keep the peace of this chaotic world.

 

Of course, that still didn’t mean that Merlin didn’t have a report on one Mattie Ross for them once they got back to the private little hotel they were staying at (and Kingsman owned as well).  The report spoke of a woman who, at a too early age, took the law and justice into her own hands for her father’s death.  A woman who grew up keeping true to the words she spoke, not going against the law but not letting it trap her when she needed to do something.  Several outstanding bounties were caught because of her.  But there were several police reports filed against her. 

 

Eggsy read over it while seated on his bed, watching out of the corner of his eye how Harry pondered curiously about it before speaking with Merlin on a different matter.  He definitely took note of the other persons of interest connected to Mattie Ross, making a note to look them up and to ask Tequila about them too.  At least it seemed the American West had still good cowboys looking after it, he joked to himself.


End file.
